The flock of birds

“Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. It is the ability to direct individual accomplishments towards organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie

During the winter, geese migrate to a warmer place to fight the cold. These large groups of migrating birds fly for long hours to reach their destination. The flock is focused and flies in a ‘V’ formation, which increases their flight efficiency by 71%.

Geese are one of the best examples of excellent teamwork.

Lesson 1: Working as a team and sharing the same direction helps to reach the destination faster. By helping each other, the triumph is greater.

If a goose leaves the ‘V’ formation, it feels the resistance of the air. Hence, rather than flying alone, it comes back to the formation and continues with the flock.

Lesson 2: Always stay in tune with those who are going in a certain direction. This will not only help you to reach the goal with less effort, but you will always be guided by people around you.

When the leader is tired of flying, it drops out of the lead position and fall back into one of the lines of the V. Another bird from the rear rapidly takes the leading position.

Lesson 3: Never miss opportunities to empower others in the team. Always take responsibility and build trust. Respect others in the team. Share difficult problems and tasks with the team.

The geese flying behind the ‘V’ formation quack continuously to encourage the ones leading the flock. This way they maintain the same speed.

Lesson 4: Always appreciate an individual team player’s work. Encouragement helps to motivate the team and, strengthen the bond among the members and this in turn brings positive results.

When a goose falls sick and tired, it leaves the flock. But the flock doesn’t desert it. Some of the geese leave the flock to escort and protect it, till it is well enough to fly again. Then they either catch up with the flock or they form their own ‘V’ formation.

Lessson 5: Always stand beside your team mates, especially at the time of challenges and difficulties.

To Read When You’re Alone.

I  was 13 years old. My family had moved to Southern California from North Florida a year before. I hit adolescence with a vengeance. I was angry and rebellious, with little regard for anything my parents had to say, particularly if it had to do with me. Like so many teenagers, I struggled to escape from anything that didn’t agree with my picture of the world. A “brilliant without need of guidance” kid, I rejected any overt offering of love. In fact, I got angry at the mention of the word love.
 
   
 One night, after a particularly difficult day, I stormed into my room, shut the door and got into bed. As I lay down in the privacy of my bed, my hands slipped under my pillow. There was an envelope. I pulled it out and on the envelope it said, “To read when you’re alone.”
 
  
 Since I was alone, no one would know whether I read it or not, so I opened it. It said “Mike, I know life is hard right now, I know you are frustrated and I know we don’t do everything right. I also know that I love you completely and nothing you do or say will ever change that. I am here for you if you ever need to talk, and if you don’t, that’s okay. Just know that no matter where you go or what you do in your life, I will always love you and be proud that you are my son. I’m here for you and I love you – that will never change. Love, Mom.”
 
  
 That was the first of several “To read when you’re alone” letters. They were never mentioned until I was an adult.
 
   
 Today I travel the world helping people. I was in Sarasota, Florida, teaching a seminar when, at the end of the day, a lady came up to me and shared the difficulty she was having with her son. We walked out to the beach, and I told her of my mom’s undying love and about the “To read when you’re alone” letters. Several weeks later, I got a card that said she had written her first letter and left it for her son.
 
   
 That night as I went to bed, I put my hands under my pillow and remembered the relief I felt every time I got a letter. In the midst of my turbulent teen years, the letters were the calm assurance that I could be loved in spite of me, not because of me. Just before I fell asleep I thanked God that my mom knew what I, an angry teenager, needed. Today when the seas of life get stormy, I know that just under my pillow there is that calm assurance that love – consistent, abiding, unconditional love – changes lives

I Feared UNTIL ??!!!

I feared being alone
Until I learned to like Myself .
I feared failure
Until I realized that I only Fail when I don’t try.
I feared success
Until I realized that I had to try in order to be happy with myself.
I feared people’s opinions
Until I learned that people would have opinions about me anyway.
I feared rejection
Until I learned to have faith in myself .
I feared pain
Until I learned that it’s necessary for growth
I feared the truth
Until I saw the ugliness in lies.
I feared life
Until I experienced its beauty .
I feared death
Until I realized that it’s not an end, but a beginning.
I feared my destiny ,
Until I realized that I had the power to change my life.
I feared hate
Until I saw that it was nothing more than ignorance .
I feared love
Until it touched my heart, making the darkness fade into endless sunny days.
I feared ridicule
Until I learned how to laugh at myself.
I feared growing old
Until I realized that I gained wisdom every day.
I feared the future
Until I realized that Life just kept getting better.
I feared the past
Until I realized that It could no longer hurt me.
I feared the dark
Until I saw the beauty of the starlight.
I feared the light
Until I learned that the Truth would give me Strength.
I feared change ,
Until I saw that even the most beautiful butterfly had to undergo a Metamorphosis before it could fly.

Beleive in God

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of CANCER. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed : “Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease”? To this Arthur Ashe replied, “The world over , 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD “Why me?”. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD “Why me?”